Nobody could have foreseen the events of 2020 or the effects they would have on the world. At first, it felt as if the planet came to a sudden stop, but it also created a huge wave of advancements across multiple industries. Most notably, the tech industry witnessed a massive boost in innovation, and the results were quite extraordinary.
photo credit: Shutterstock
With so many people forced to stay at home last year, products that made life at home under lockdown easier experienced the most success. Zoom went from 10 million web-chat users in December 2019 to 200 million by March 2021. Microsoft’s revenue jumped 14% to $143 billion, and Salesforce quickly snapped up Slack for a whopping $27.7 billion following considerable increases in sign-ups.
As we put the first couple of weeks of January behind us, it’s time to look at the technologies that are set to dominate this year and how they can help your business stay ahead of the game.
4 Digital Trends Set to Dominate in 2021
5G
photo credit: Shutterstock
People have been talking about 5G for years. From its incredible benefits to the conspiracy theories, it’s been a hot topic throughout the world. This year, 5G will continue to dominate the headlines and our lives. As a result of the pandemic, the need for ultra-fast internet and video conferencing technology has never been so apparent.
Today, a business cannot afford to be disconnected, and 5G perfectly solves this issue. Every major phone company has plans to release 5G capable devices this year, and 5G will undoubtedly become an essential part of everyday business life.
Hybrid Cloud
photo credit: Shutterstock
AWS, Azure, Google, IBM and Oracle have all been making significant investments in hybrid cloud technology, which will allow them to integrate SaaS and on-premises solutions seamlessly. They’ll also be able to utilise a mix of public and private clouds, giving them unique hybrid cloud strategies that will help organizations find the right balance for their cloud infrastructure requirements. Hybrid cloud services will enable businesses to address the challenges with exponential data growth while remaining compliant with privacy and security protocols.
Industrial data will seamlessly integrate with cloud data centres, applications and workloads. Hybrid cloud technology will allow businesses to innovate and grow like never before.
Cybersecurity
photo credit: Shutterstock
Last year, Microsoft’s new data highlighted the need for more robust cybersecurity after discovering a considerable rise in phishing threats during the pandemic. The software developer found that cybersecurity was integral to productive remote working, which resulted in two years of digital transformation in two months.
In 2021, expect cybersecurity and its providers to step up their game in a big way as they attempt to make the internet a safer place than ever before. The enormous increase in the number of users during the pandemic, due to more people working at home and using cloud-based software, has presented cybercriminals with unprecedented opportunities to attack.
AI and machine learning will be integral to the advancement of cybersecurity, giving software the ability to learn the criminals’ behaviour and act accordingly in real-time to stop impending threats to both companies and individuals.
Cloud Software
photo credit: Shutterstock
During the pandemic, software that connected people became a necessity and not just a luxury. Software firms like Slack and Zoom experienced significant growth, as companies and individuals suddenly required web-chat and team-collaboration tools to work from home effectively.
2021 will see these companies continue to grow, and we’re likely to see a vast number of new tools launched with the sole aim of making remote working more manageable and more productive. Expect to see big things from the likes of Asana, Trello, Podio, Ryver and Flock.